Modern weapons too dangerous for public

Monday, December 24, 2012 - 9:17 am

To the Editor:

As the great songwriter Bob Dylan said, “The times they are a changing.” Well that is certainly true, a lot has changed since 1776, including the types of guns that exist today. Our founding fathers could have never possibly imagined what a semi-automatic weapon is or what it is capable of. The second amendment clearly states the right to bear arms, but when the founding fathers signed the constitution it was so long ago.

Things can certainly be taken out of context, but there is a difference between the guns used then and the guns that exist today, A flint-locked pistol and muzzle loaded musket are worlds apart from a .9mm Glock and a .223 Bushmaster semi-automatic rifle. There is also a big difference between a weapon that is only capable of firing one bullet and a weapon that is capable of firing multiple high velocity rounds.

These points are stating the obvious, but are they really? The majority of people who own guns are law abiding and responsible citizens and it is unfortunate that they get put into the same boat as people who misuse guns, but the line needs to be drawn somewhere!

It is always difficult to enact new laws and at the same time not violate our rights during the process, but there is no place in our society for the kinds of weapons like the ones used at Sandy Hook Elementary. These guns should only be accessible to law enforcement and the military.

“Guns don’t kill people, people kill people,” this is a common expression that is heard way too often. The difference here is the types of guns and what they are capable of. On the same day as the Sandy Hook massacre a crazed maniac in China went into a school and tried to kill children. He was not as successful as Adam Lanza because he used a knife rather than .223 Bushmaster semi-automatic assault rifle. The point is, that people will always try to find a way to kill, but it is much easier to kill more people more quickly with technologically advanced weapons like the guns used by Adam Lanza at Sandy Hook Elementary.